Preview — The Siege by Ismail Kadare

The Siege

From Ismail Kadare, winner of the inaugural Man Booker International Prize – a novelist in the class of Coetzee, Pamuk, Márquez, and Rushdie – the stunning new translation of one of his major works.

In the early fifteenth century, as winter falls away, the people of Albania know that their fate is sealed. They have refused to negotiate with the Ottoman Empire, and war is noFrom Ismail Kadare, winner of the inaugural Man Booker International Prize – a novelist in the class of Coetzee, Pamuk, Márquez, and Rushdie – the stunning new translation of one of his major works.

In the early fifteenth century, as winter falls away, the people of Albania know that their fate is sealed. They have refused to negotiate with the Ottoman Empire, and war is now inevitable. Soon enough, dust kicked up by Turkish horses is spotted from a citadel. Brightly coloured banners, hastily constructed minarets, and tens of thousands of men fill the plain below. From this moment on, the world is waiting to hear that the fortress has fallen.

The Siege tells the enthralling story of the weeks and months that follow – of the exhilaration and despair of the battlefield, the constantly shifting strategies of war, and those whose lives are held in the balance, from the Pasha himself to the artillerymen, astrologer, blind poet, and harem of women who accompany him.

"Believe me," the general said. "I’ve taken part in many sieges but this," he waved towards the castle walls, "is where the most fearful carnage of our times will take place. And you surely know as well as I do that great massacres always give birth to great books. You really do have an opportunity to write a thundering chronicle redolent with pitch and blood, and it will be utterly different from the graceful whines composed at the fireside by squealers who never went to war."

Brilliantly vivid, as insightful as it is compelling, The Siege is an unforgettable account of the clash of two great civilisations, and a portrait of warthat will resonate across the centuries....more

The author claims that this is not a historical novel, and yet the story is set in the mid 15th century and is a primer on the methods of warfare used at the time. It is also a metaphor for Albania during its Communist rule in the 20th century, for although the invading Ottoman empire circa 1474 is portrayed as the bad guy, the implication and insinuation is that this totalitarian empire is a reflection of later day Albania itself.

In a nutshell, an Albanian fortress is besieged by an invading OtThe author claims that this is not a historical novel, and yet the story is set in the mid 15th century and is a primer on the methods of warfare used at the time. It is also a metaphor for Albania during its Communist rule in the 20th century, for although the invading Ottoman empire circa 1474 is portrayed as the bad guy, the implication and insinuation is that this totalitarian empire is a reflection of later day Albania itself.

In a nutshell, an Albanian fortress is besieged by an invading Ottoman army, but prevails despite everything that is thrown at it – from ladders, to death squads, to tunnelling, to cannon, to shutting off aquifers, to cutting off food supplies, to throwing poisoned vermin over its walls. There are spies on both sides; the reward for failure is imprisonment or death (even cannon that don’t fire straight are ‘fustigated,’ life is cheap, and God help any female Albanians taken prisoner – they don’t last even an evening in the hands of their sex hungry enemy obsessed with blond women’s pubic hair.

In the end, the Ottomans retreat, and Albania is safe until the next invasion...and the next... for victory is finally achieved only when the minds of the opponents are vanquished.

I was intrigued by the vast support network that buffets an army of this size: mufti, dervishes, astrologers, spell casters, architects, chroniclers, poets, hoxas (professional prayers), dream interpreters, keepers of the seals, knife grinders, dwarfs, harem wives, eunuchs, and water carriers, to name a few.

Even though the story is primarily told via the lowly chronicler, Mevla Celebi, the point of view pans the various players in the invading camp, including the commander-in-chief, who is most at risk for a failed campaign. We also begin each chapter with a page or two from the diary of an unknown soldier on the Albanian side, which sums up the reaction to the previous chapter’s events from those under siege. The style mixes humour with terror to bring out a chilling effect on the reader.

On reflection, I realized how reminiscent the Ottoman Empire’s practices are of present life, not only during Communism in the 20th century, but in our modern public or private sector corporations today. For even though superstition has been replaced by rationality and the human casualty rate may not be so high today, the following still applies: win at all costs, scapegoat and sideline those who fail, spy on one’s competitors, some people are more equal than others in the human bureaucracy, pick your battles, the chief solicits feedback but makes his own decision in the end, human resources are disposable etc., etc. Certainly a book worth reading and reflecting on whether much has changed since the 15th century, especially in our attitudes towards conquest and acquisition. ...more

Ismail Kadaré often used Albanian history and legends as the setting for his novels. This one is about attempts to withstand a siege by Ottoman forces and shows the inhabitants of the beleaguered town. It may be an allegory of modern times, but it is not clear exactly what it might be an allegory of. Albania was a Maoist communist country caught between the powerful Soviet powers and their allies and the capitalist force of Europe and US global trade. Who did Ismail Kadaré see as the aggressiveIsmail Kadaré often used Albanian history and legends as the setting for his novels. This one is about attempts to withstand a siege by Ottoman forces and shows the inhabitants of the beleaguered town. It may be an allegory of modern times, but it is not clear exactly what it might be an allegory of. Albania was a Maoist communist country caught between the powerful Soviet powers and their allies and the capitalist force of Europe and US global trade. Who did Ismail Kadaré see as the aggressive invading power?It is very good as a historical novel, but perhaps too oblique to work as satire. I really enjoyed it and would rate it highly, but felt I must be missing some of the hidden inner meaning. ...more

This novel by the Albanian author Ismail Kadare is set during the 15th century when Albania was being attacked by the Ottoman Turks, and the heroic Albanian leader Skanderbeg was still actively fighting the attackers. The edition that I have read was originally written between 1969 and 1970 when albania was being ruled by the repressive dictator, and friend of Stalin, Enver Hoxha. The version that I read was modified by the author between 1993 and 1994 when Enver Hoxha's regime was over. The oriThis novel by the Albanian author Ismail Kadare is set during the 15th century when Albania was being attacked by the Ottoman Turks, and the heroic Albanian leader Skanderbeg was still actively fighting the attackers. The edition that I have read was originally written between 1969 and 1970 when albania was being ruled by the repressive dictator, and friend of Stalin, Enver Hoxha. The version that I read was modified by the author between 1993 and 1994 when Enver Hoxha's regime was over. The original earlier edition would have been interesting as it missed out various details that were included in the later one.

An Albanian castle is being besieged by a vast Turkish army. Short chapters describe the siege from the point of view of the castle's Christian Albanian defenders. These alternate with longer passages describing the experiences of the Turkish army. The trials and tribulations of the besiegers are described in great detail, and give the reader a vivid idea about siege techniques and the reactions of the besiegers during that period of history. The story begins slowly but the pace quickens about half way through the book.

At face value, this is a fictionalised version of many sieges that must have been perpertrated by the Turks against the Albanians. One of its deeper messages is that nothing can be taken at face value. This is a mentality that would have served Albanians living in Hoxha's Albania well. For example, when the Turkish camp is attacked at night, everyone believes that this is the work of Skanderbeg, but then after a while this is questioned. Skanderbeg's very existence is doubted by some.

This book is undoubtedly a good read and ought to be read, but it is not one of Kadare's best novels. It lacks some of the crispness of writing that I have admired in some of his other works.

My favorite book by this author. He seems to be able to recreate the mentality and the perspective people may have had in those times. He makes me "feel" with them regardless of the fact that I am submerged in my zeitgeist, and in principle a bad neutral observer. This combined with a compelling writing style.

I read Kadare’s The Palace of Dreams in 2005, and thought it was an excellent book, but this is even better. At face value, it’s the rivetting story of a C15th siege – the Christian Albanians in the besieged citadel and the Ottomans camped outside. The chapters alternate between these two POV but the Ottomans tell most of the story in what appears to be a straightforward 3rd person narrative. However, there are deliberate anachronisms such as show trials and biological warfare which jolt the reaI read Kadare’s The Palace of Dreams in 2005, and thought it was an excellent book, but this is even better. At face value, it’s the rivetting story of a C15th siege – the Christian Albanians in the besieged citadel and the Ottomans camped outside. The chapters alternate between these two POV but the Ottomans tell most of the story in what appears to be a straightforward 3rd person narrative. However, there are deliberate anachronisms such as show trials and biological warfare which jolt the reader into recognition that this is an allegory. The colour and the splendour of Ottoman army ceremonials evoke those impressive Soviet military spectacles that we have all seen, and we are reminded of the abuse of power under various Soviet dictatorships by the Pasha’s power to arbitrarily order torture and execution, not to mention irrational military manoevres. (Subtle as this is, Kadare did not escape the attention of the Albanian regime and he had to seek asylum in France in 1990).

In The Siege, Ismail Kadare succeeds in telling a story that is at once a fictionalized piece of history, a believable what-if about the Ottoman invasion of 15th-century Albania, and a subtle commentary on modern politics and war.

As with other armies throughout history, the Turks led military campaigns from late spring to early fall. The Siege begins as the Catholic Albanians, having sent the Ottomon envoys packing, prepare for the coming of the invading force. The tale is told in two perspectiIn The Siege, Ismail Kadare succeeds in telling a story that is at once a fictionalized piece of history, a believable what-if about the Ottoman invasion of 15th-century Albania, and a subtle commentary on modern politics and war.

As with other armies throughout history, the Turks led military campaigns from late spring to early fall. The Siege begins as the Catholic Albanians, having sent the Ottomon envoys packing, prepare for the coming of the invading force. The tale is told in two perspectives, alternating with very brief comments from an unknown Albanian, perhaps a monk or priest writing a journal of the siege, and longer chapters told from the viewpoint of a few key Turkish players, including the Pasha, or commander-in-chief, the camp historian, and a doomed astrologer.

It is the contrast between the ordinary Turk with the views of the war council that highlights the medieval-modern aspects of Kadare's tale.

On the one hand, fervent Turkish soldiers fear and disdain the "symbol of torture" -- the Cross -- that looms above the castle's walls; they listen to the mullahs and work themselves into a passionate fury on the eve of battle. The naive camp historian frets and worries over worthy verses glorifying the Ottoman cause. He fears that he isn't up to the task of writing an epic and finds himself with writer's block. There is the astrologer who wrongly predicts success and the confident poet who is blinded. There are the thousands who die trying to scale the walls.

On the other hand, the Quartermaster, a world-weary and pragmatic man, worries about supplying the troops and discusses the Albanians and how to defeat them with the nuance of a seasoned diplomat. The doctor debates the pros and cons of bioweapons such as plague-ridden rats over other pestilent diseases and other animal vectors -- all of which must be approved from on high. The Pasha suspects that he's been chosen by his enemies in the Padishah's court to lead the campaign, whose failure is his life. The engineers build bigger and better cannons with no concern for human life, only whether the massive destruction can be predicted and controlled, and the enigmatic architect, a figure who moves in and out of Turkish prisons, is a renegade Christian selling out the architectural secrets of his fellow Christians. There is even a war cry chosen and sent down from on high.

Written with a light hand, The Siege manages to leaves the reader disturbed and not a little sad....more

Originally published in Albania in 1970, and then translated into French in the mid-90s, this excellent novel has finally made it into English. It tells the story of a fictional 15th-century siege of an Albanian castle by an Ottoman army. The details of this appear to be largely drawn from accounts of the 1474 siege of Shkoder, as well as the exploits of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg (aka The Dragon of Albania), who led the resistance to the Ottomans for about twenty years, until his death in 1468Originally published in Albania in 1970, and then translated into French in the mid-90s, this excellent novel has finally made it into English. It tells the story of a fictional 15th-century siege of an Albanian castle by an Ottoman army. The details of this appear to be largely drawn from accounts of the 1474 siege of Shkoder, as well as the exploits of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg (aka The Dragon of Albania), who led the resistance to the Ottomans for about twenty years, until his death in 1468.

The siege is mainly told from the Ottoman perspective, as we are taken into the Pasha's tent for discussions of strategy, wander around the camp with the hapless scribe/historian sent to chronicle the impending great victory, and listen to the monologues of the quartermaster who has to keep the siege logistically afloat. There are also occasional brief interludes written from the perspective of the Christian defenders trying to conserve their water until the arrival of the rainy season that would effectively save them.

The mechanics and psychology of the siege are wonderfully brought to life, as the Ottomans struggle to bring their superior manpower and technology to bear in an effective manner. In that sense, it's a gripping, effective, and often bloody, work of historical fiction which will appeal to fans of that genre. At the same time, the story appears to function as allegory for the plight of Soviet-dominated Albania during the Cold War. The Ottoman army -- cowering under an absolute ruler abetted by a pervasive secret police, riven by internal factions (warlords, mystics, technocrats, etc.), and subject to show-trials and cruel and unusual punishments -- bears striking similarities to Albania under the rule of Enver Hoxha. Meanwhile, the castle's desperate defenders take on the role of freedom-loving intelligentsia within that same society. The symbolism is stark, since history tells us that the Ottoman Empire does eventually conquer Albania, and the castle does fall.

The translation is very good, as the camp comes alive on every page, and the battle scenes resound off the page. But it's to Kadare's immense credit that the story remains gripping while conveying its densely layered message. Well worth reading if you have any interest in the Ottoman Empire, Albania, military history, or simply excellent world literature....more

Maybe it's because I just finished Wu Ming's Altai, but I really didn't have it in me for a straight-siege book. The story is a fictionalized account of one of the many Ottoman sieges of Albania in the 15th century, and the frame story and some of the characters are fascinating. The book is made up of small vignettes from the Albanian perspective within a larger third-person narrative of the Ottomans.

That all said, it was a bit too Albanian nationalistic and writing-will-save-the-world for me. TMaybe it's because I just finished Wu Ming's Altai, but I really didn't have it in me for a straight-siege book. The story is a fictionalized account of one of the many Ottoman sieges of Albania in the 15th century, and the frame story and some of the characters are fascinating. The book is made up of small vignettes from the Albanian perspective within a larger third-person narrative of the Ottomans.

That all said, it was a bit too Albanian nationalistic and writing-will-save-the-world for me. The sheer terror of war is very well-described, but there's not a lot of actual character or development. It's just a few hundred pages of hell. This may be what someone else is looking for, but I just didn't have the stomach for it at the time I was reading it.

That all said, the Middle Chapter is an absolutely wonderfully-written and devastating read. Reading just a couple of weeks after the Soma mining disaster in Turkey, it was gutting to read an account of being trapped alive.

So, good read sure, but maybe not a great read. Definitely my least favorite Kadare I've read, which may not be saying much but is saying something....more

Kadare's The Seige is another tale of the horrors of war. We are placed ,except for the inter-chapters, in the huge camp of the invading Ottoman force. The main characters are those most closely connected to the Pasha and the Pasha, himself. Kadare shows the political machinations, the savagery and ultimately the war weariness (the one thing that frightens the Pasha the most) that make up the grueling world of such a seige.

In this translation (from a French translation!) the language in the intKadare's The Seige is another tale of the horrors of war. We are placed ,except for the inter-chapters, in the huge camp of the invading Ottoman force. The main characters are those most closely connected to the Pasha and the Pasha, himself. Kadare shows the political machinations, the savagery and ultimately the war weariness (the one thing that frightens the Pasha the most) that make up the grueling world of such a seige.

In this translation (from a French translation!) the language in the inter-chapters, whose author is an Albanian Christian inside the besieged fort, has the ancient tone with its "shalls" and "wonts." However, the language used for the Ottorman camp is very different. In the these chapters , we get, for example, jarring cliches such as " in the dog house" and " over the moon." Is it the translator's missteps or is it true to the original? Who can answer? (Answer if you can!) I have read that Kadare wanted his narrative to be timeless so that the brutality would not be placed only in past events. Very well, but , still, "over the moon"?

One last note. One character is the Chronicler, Celebi, whose job is to turn the seige into a written work for the glory of the Empire. (Kadare has him playing with the florid phrases he might use.) Celebi is recreant and naive and his whole world threatens to crumble when he is told something that, if true, would make a lie of so much he believes. We know he stands on the shakey ground of blind nationalism - that slope of hero worship that compels some men to fight no matter the cause. Kadare knows what Tolstoy knew and wrote about so well - that this is folly from which horrors spring. ...more

Kadare's novel takes The Iliad as its template: a fortress held by an inevitably defeated Albanian army successfully holds off the onslaught of Ottoman attack. Like the Iliad, its characters are all in their material seeming--no depth, no inner life, just roles and functions and dreams of women and glory. The rich metaphors of collapsed tunnels and unbreachable walls coincide with the lack of interiority and extend toward the suggestions of complex conspiracies to reroute the passage of power inKadare's novel takes The Iliad as its template: a fortress held by an inevitably defeated Albanian army successfully holds off the onslaught of Ottoman attack. Like the Iliad, its characters are all in their material seeming--no depth, no inner life, just roles and functions and dreams of women and glory. The rich metaphors of collapsed tunnels and unbreachable walls coincide with the lack of interiority and extend toward the suggestions of complex conspiracies to reroute the passage of power in the Ottoman dynasty. Kadare's novel celebrates the defense of the castle with the same enthusiasm that Homer celebrates the defense of Troy. The pasha will speak with the same voice of Fatih Mehmet--that the Ottoman has come to Anatolia to avenge Troy. Here, the Albanian success is a Pyrrhic victory. Kadare's novel, while not particularly rich in depth, is wide in its scope of history....more

According to the Afterword by the translator, Ismail Kadare's one of the main themes in his novels is the intricate relationships between the obvious other (the influences of the Ottoman Empire) for the Albanians and who the Albanians are. Since Albania was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, people there were affected by its culture, politics, and other social institutions. The Albanian are, however, still Albanians, who are supposed to have rather actively aI came to feel like visiting Albania :)

According to the Afterword by the translator, Ismail Kadare's one of the main themes in his novels is the intricate relationships between the obvious other (the influences of the Ottoman Empire) for the Albanians and who the Albanians are. Since Albania was conquered by the Ottoman Empire, people there were affected by its culture, politics, and other social institutions. The Albanian are, however, still Albanians, who are supposed to have rather actively adapted themselves to those which were more powerful than individual Albanian people. Probably, similar experiences may be shared by many people in other parts of this world. This novel actually evoked imagination about how people establish, enjoy and suffer their respective lives.

As the author clarifies, this novel is not about history. By so clarifying, it seems to me that it enables us to re-think what history is (should be) in relation to our banal reality. I re-confirm that novels have power to help us renew our understandings of what humanity is reminding us of the importance to learn human race's precious skills and knowledge painfully developed and being practiced all through its history....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Ottoman turks lay siege to a unnamed christian fortress in Albania, the last stronghold before the turks way into Albania. But they meet unexpected resistance as their first attack on the fortress fails horribly.After the first failed attack, the turks settles outside the fortress in a giant tent-city while they plan their next moves.Eventually both sides feels the horrors of siege warfare as the Albanians gets their aquadeucts cut off, and Skanderbeg [Albanian national hero] manages to cut offOttoman turks lay siege to a unnamed christian fortress in Albania, the last stronghold before the turks way into Albania. But they meet unexpected resistance as their first attack on the fortress fails horribly.After the first failed attack, the turks settles outside the fortress in a giant tent-city while they plan their next moves.Eventually both sides feels the horrors of siege warfare as the Albanians gets their aquadeucts cut off, and Skanderbeg [Albanian national hero] manages to cut off the turks food supply line. So its a stand out on stamina to see who can last the longest, while both sides attack each other multiple times to no great effect.The final defeat to the turks comes when after months of hot summer with no precipation it finally starts to pour down with rain, effectively eliminating the Albanians thirst problems and leaving the Turks as the considerably weakest party.

An interesting story, as told from an ottoman chroniclers perspective for most of the time, but also switches to take us into the ottoman war-council meetings etc. The only perspective we get from the Albanians is a 1,5-2 pages resume of the what happend in the previous chapter, but seen with albanian eyes, and also how they respond to the threats lined up in the previous chapter, before every new chapter....more

Albania in the middle of the 15th century. Gjergj Kastrioti, called Skanderbeg, is resisting the advance of the Ottoman armies and is fighting a kind of hit-and-run guerrilla war from his fortresses in the Accursed Mountains. This is the historical backdrop of the novel The Siege by the Albanian author Ismail Kadare, a permanent candidate for the Novel Prize and Winner of the Man Booker International Prize.

Albania in the middle of the 15th century. Gjergj Kastrioti, called Skanderbeg, is resisting the advance of the Ottoman armies and is fighting a kind of hit-and-run guerrilla war from his fortresses in the Accursed Mountains. This is the historical backdrop of the novel The Siege by the Albanian author Ismail Kadare, a permanent candidate for the Novel Prize and Winner of the Man Booker International Prize.

A huge force of the Ottoman army is advancing to this remote and not yet completely subdued province with the task to conquer one of the biggest fortresses that is still resisting the at that time most powerful army in the world.

The Pasha that is leading the expedition force knows what is at stake for him: a failure to seize the fortress in summer would be considered as a complete failure of his by the Sultan. Not only would it be necessary to abort the siege at the begin of the rainy season, for the Pasha it would mean also personal disgrace and drastic consequences - in the best case early retirement, but more probably a death sentence after his return to the capital.

Kadare tells us the story from two different perspectives. The main narrator is a young chronicler whose task it is to write the official account of the expedition and siege. The chronicler, an intelligent but inexperienced person has therefore (almost) always access to any meetings of the war council, where the military leaders discuss with the Pasha the right strategy and next steps of the siege.

Important for the chronicler is especially his growing friendship with the Quartermaster, a kind of Chief Logistics Officer, who is very friendly and frank with him and is opening his eyes for the difficult task that such a mission including so many people is imposing on the logistics. Basic things about which we rarely read in the history books that tell only of the deeds of "great men", are of crucial importance. Without a proper system of latrines, no triumph in any battle. We also understand, as the story advances, that the Quartermaster has an agenda too. He wants to be depicted in a positive light for posterity, and he is doubting also (like many others) the abilities of the Pasha as a leader, though he is voicing his reservations in the most indirect way.

A siege of a fortress on that scale was an extraordinary undertaking in the 15th century. It required already a very high level of organization, specialization and division of labor. We have the simple soldiers and the medics, experts for artillery, the janissaries, elite soldiers of the Sultan, the raiders (akinzhis), the infantry (azabs), the cavalry, and other specialized and rivaling groups, the "volunteers" (people who join in the hope to get a part of the booty), but also exorcists, soothsayers, spell casters, dream interpreters, and many other important crafts.

Each chapter that is written by the young Ottoman chronicler is mirrored by a short chapter that is told by an unnamed Albanian chronicler who is inside the fortress. The Albanians pray for an early begin of the rainy season, which seems to be the only possible rescue. (Or an attack of the myth Skanderbeg, who is hiding somewhere in the mountains.) So, "the drums of rain" - also the planned original title of the book, and also the name under which The Siege is published in French - are dreaded by the Pasha, but longed-for by the Albanians.

Since the fortress is well-protected by a sophisticated system of walls, and since there is also enough food and water inside the fortress, it proves more difficult as anticipated by the invaders to take it. Several attempts to storm the fortress in a frontal assault, supported by the newly cast cannon, fail and cause many casualties. A success at all costs must be achieved, and so the Pasha decides to follow a cunning plan: secretly he lets his soldiers build a tunnel that should lead directly to the middle of the fortress and should enable a surprise attack and the opening of the gates from the inside for a huge wave of attackers...

Regarding the technical details of the siege, Kadare has made extensive use of Marin Barleti's chronicle about the siege of Shkodra. But The Siege is more than a historical novel: it was written shortly after the invasion of Prague 1968 by the Warsaw Pact states. It is therefore obvious that the book contains also some very interesting comments on the situation after the invasion of Prague.

One message that Kadare wanted to send out is possibly: Albania will resist any attempt to invade the country (the paranoid dictator Enver Hoxha built therefore hundreds of thousands of small bunkers - fortresses en miniature).

On the other hand, and this is also fairly obvious, the victory of the besieged (the invaders have to withdraw at the beginning of the rainy season and after the death of the Pasha) in the novel is only a temporary one. We can easily assume that a new, bigger army with even more frightful weapons will come back again next year - and from the history books we know the outcome of this process. Therefore Kadare's message in this novel is - like in most of his books - very ambiguous.

What is additionally interesting about the novel are the countless calculated and intentional anachronisms it contains. To name just a few: There are show trials, the victims are sentenced to slave labor in the tunnel. And the only possible friend and ally in the outside world (in the book it is the Republic of Venice) plays a double game, because it is trading with and equipping the enemy of their (Christian) brothers, just for the profit.

"Great massacres always give birth to great books",

says the Quartermaster to the chronicler quite at the beginning of The Siege. That may indeed be true. The Siege is a brilliant historical novel....more

In the Seige, Kadare writes a disconcertingly modern and exquisitely detailed account of medieval warfare and nation-building. Most of the book focuses on the Ottoman Turks' command as they encircle a medieval Albanian fortress and, over a long and frustrating summer, fail to breach the walls. There are institial passages between the chapters giving a glimpse of the thoughts of the Albanians within during the seige. The parallels between medieval and modern nations and conflicts lie constantly uIn the Seige, Kadare writes a disconcertingly modern and exquisitely detailed account of medieval warfare and nation-building. Most of the book focuses on the Ottoman Turks' command as they encircle a medieval Albanian fortress and, over a long and frustrating summer, fail to breach the walls. There are institial passages between the chapters giving a glimpse of the thoughts of the Albanians within during the seige. The parallels between medieval and modern nations and conflicts lie constantly under the surface.

This may be the most overtly politicized Kadare that I have read. It was first written in Albania at the height of Hoxsa's regime, and then subsequently rewritten and rerelease in Paris, and this translation is of the later French version. His messages are playfully ambiguous; the entire heroic drama of the Albanian stand plays out in the shadow of what we know to be the ultimate Turkish conquest, and Kadare reminds the reader continually during the book that it is only a question of whether this army or the next brings the fortress down.

Pasha Tursun is sent off to faraway Albania to subdue a rebellious population and make Albania part of the Ottoman Empire. One Citadel decide to hold out against Ottoman rule. They refuse to submit and they refuse to convert. Their mythical leader Skanderbeg holds them to their Christianity and binds them to the Catholic Church. The Ottoman Army is comprised of many different nationalities and they are all camped by the wall of the Citadel ready to take it over. Pasha Tursun has also fallen outPasha Tursun is sent off to faraway Albania to subdue a rebellious population and make Albania part of the Ottoman Empire. One Citadel decide to hold out against Ottoman rule. They refuse to submit and they refuse to convert. Their mythical leader Skanderbeg holds them to their Christianity and binds them to the Catholic Church. The Ottoman Army is comprised of many different nationalities and they are all camped by the wall of the Citadel ready to take it over. Pasha Tursun has also fallen out of favor with the Sultan so it is imperative that he overtake the Citadel. He brought along with him his four wives, a usual no no for a military campaign.

The Albanian Defenders desperately hold on in the face of overwhelming odds. The first assault by the Ottoman army takes them for a bit of a surprise. THe Turks have brought a cannon which reeks havoc on the walls. but the attack fails. The Albanian forces hold them off. The cannon fails to bring down the walls. The Turks try at least four different assaults against the garrison all of which fail. They try sabotaging their water supply by finding it with a horse. They are successful in finding the water and the defender do encounter intense thirst. but that does not bring them down. Next the Turks try infiltrating the fortress with rats in order to bring disease bu the Albanians counter that with rat traps. They also try tunneling into the fortress but the fortress cave in on them. While the Turks may have destroyed the defender's water supply the defenders destroyed the Turks food supply which was being shipped by Christian Venetians. The defenders also stage a night raid against the Turks.

In the end it is safe to say the Turks hold out. THe book does delve into Military camp life, Ottoman intrigues as well as the the lusty side of Turks in battle. Many soldier are concerned with the women they will capture. Their are feuds between officers over power struggle and little young boys. An officers life in the Otoman army is one of a constant power struggle and always watching your back. To see who may try to kill yoou for their next advancement....more

Ismail Kadare was born in 1936 in Gjirokastër, in the south of Albania. His education included studies at the University of Tirana and then the Gorky Institute for World Literature in Moscow, a training school for writers and critics.

In 1960 Kadare returned to Albania after the country broke ties with the Soviet Union, and he became a journalist and published his first poems.

His first novel, The GIsmail Kadare was born in 1936 in Gjirokastër, in the south of Albania. His education included studies at the University of Tirana and then the Gorky Institute for World Literature in Moscow, a training school for writers and critics.

In 1960 Kadare returned to Albania after the country broke ties with the Soviet Union, and he became a journalist and published his first poems.

His first novel, The General of the Dead Army, sprang from a short story, and its success established his name in Albania and enabled Kadare to become a full-time writer.

Kadare's novels draw on Balkan history and legends. They are obliquely ironic as a result of trying to withstand political scrutiny. Among his best known books are Chronicle in Stone (1977), Broken April (1978), and The Concert (1988), considered the best novel of the year 1991 by the French literary magazine Lire.

In 1990, Kadare claimed political asylum in France, issuing statements in favour of democratisation. During the ordeal, he stated that "dictatorship and authentic literature are incompatible. The writer is the natural enemy of dictatorship."

In 1996 he became a lifetime member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of France. In 1992, he was awarded the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca; in 2005, he won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize and in 2009 the Prince of Asturias Award of Arts. He has divided his time between Albania and France since 1990. Kadare has been a Nobel Prize in Literature candidate several times. His works have been published in about thirty languages....more